VPNs at UT San Antonio
At UT San Antonio, the use of personal or third-party Virtual Private Network (VPN) applications is not permitted on AirRowdy wired and wireless networks. Using these applications, including SkyVPN, NordVPN, and others, undermines the security and performance of campus internet for all users and violates UT San Antonio and UT System policies.
This block does not affect the university's own remote-access VPN, normal HTTPS browsing, or VPN use in the residence halls or off-campus; it's aimed specifically at the blind spot that third-party VPN tunnels create inside the university's AirRowdy network.
Why VPNs are blocked
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To keep you safe: Our malware scanning, phishing detection, and intrusion monitoring work by inspecting traffic as it moves across the network. Personal VPNs encrypt that traffic, meaning anything malicious moving inside it passes through unseen. Ransomware and account-takeover incidents increasingly rely on exactly this kind of blind spot. To boost performance: With personal VPNs blocked, wireless network activity can be seen and addressed more clearly, helping keep coursework and research computing running smoothly. To ensure compliance: As a university, we operate under content and copyright obligations as well as software license terms that are tied to our network. VPN traffic undermines our compliance with those obligations even if no one intends to cause a problem. The use of unauthorized personal VPN services violates OIS Standard 18 and UT System policy UTS 165 regarding use of network resources. Blocking VPNs also helps enforce restrictions on prohibited technologies (like TikTok), as laid out in UT System Policy UTS 200 and Texas Government Code Chapter 620. |
Frequently Asked Questions
UT San Antonio VPN Service
The university is pleased to provide a VPN service for establishing a secure connection to the campus network from any location. Faculty, staff, and select students with a current, active relationship with the University can use this VPN.